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‘The Waltons’ Star Judy Norton Explains the Common Bond Actors Have

Fans of classic television remember Judy Norton as Mary Ellen Walton. She was the oldest daughter of the Walton family. At the same time, she was a mainstay on the series. In fact, she was there for all nine seasons. Then, she reprised her role for six feature-length films based on The Waltons.

Today, Judy Norton hosts a web series on her YouTube channel. In that series, she pulls back the curtain on the classic family drama. In some installments, she will break down entire episodes of the show. Other times, she talks about broader topics related to her time on The Waltons. However, she doesn’t just spew plot points and trivia. Instead, she gives fans her perspective on the series and her time on it.

In fact, the most interesting moments of her web series are the ones in which Judy Norton gets personal. Sometimes, she talks about how she felt doing certain episodes. Other times, she discusses how she prepared for an episode or scene. No matter what she’s talking about, Norton gives fans of the classic show a unique peek into what it was like to live on Walton’s Mountain.

In an installment of her web series from January of this year, Judy Norton talks about the episode, “The Actress.” She goes in-depth into the episode. However, the best part about that installment comes toward the end, when she gives fans a look at her own inner workings.

Judy Norton on the Bond Actors Share

In this installment of her web series, Judy Norton gives some insight into her love of acting and the bond actors share. She starts by reading a quote from the episode. The part she reads comes from when the titular actress Alvira Drummond does a performance at their local store. She starts her performance by talking about what makes actors different from other people.

Judy Norton said that she wanted to share it with her fans because it moved her so much. The monolog goes, “It is said that actors are very special people. They are born between the acts, cradled in dresser drawers, and nurtured on greasepaint. They come alive at 8:30 every night, but only in the presence of an audience. And, when they die, they go not to heaven but to the theater.”  

Judy Norton said that that moved her so much because she started her career on the stage at the age of four or five. She knew that she wanted to be an actor from an early age. So, the theater has always meant so much to her.

Judy Norton went on to talk about the common bond that all actors share. About this, she said, “We share an inner desire to take people on a journey, to create magic.” So, having that, “little tribute to a piece of what makes an actor tick,” on The Waltons was incredibly important to her.